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Did you know that the average New York-to-Los Angeles flight emits 185 metric tons of carbon dioxide? That is the equivalent amount of CO2 emitted by 82 average automobile commuters traveling to and from work for an entire year! Business air travel can have a big impact on a company’s environmental footprint and bottom line.

Many businesses are now adopting “virtual meeting” strategies like videoconferencing or Skype to limit their impact, while still maintaining the face-to-face interaction that is critical for so many business relationships. Videoconferencing can drastically reduce a company’s greenhouse gas emissions and travel costs, which can include airline tickets, car rentals, hotel stays and meals! As an added benefit, employee productivity and morale improves when less time is spent waiting in long airline security lines.

If you must travel for work, consider these other green travel strategies:

·Where possible, skip the rental car and opt to travel by train, bus or subway once you reach your destination

·If you must rent a car, select a hybrid or model with good gas mileage

Paydirt is excited to announce that we have received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Development Center-Chicago, a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

WBENC’s national standard of certification is a thorough process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations, and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier/vendor diversity programs.

In the United States, the most popular New Year’s resolutions fit into a few predictable categories: getting fit, saving money, reducing stress, and getting organized. Unfortunately, environmental sustainability doesn’t even grace the list of the top ten most common resolutions.

Imagine what a huge impact we could have if everyone added just one “green” resolution to their list (and then kept their promise!) This year, identify one pragmatic step you can take to reduce your personal environmental footprint. Your resolution doesn’t need to be life-changing, but it should be meaningful and make a measurable impact. The New Year is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.

Here is a short list of ideas to get your creativity flowing!

Pledge to take alternative transportation to work at least once a week

Skip the daily disposable coffee cup by making java at home

Finally get around to planting that garden in the spring

Call your local utility to arrange for a home energy audit

Reduce your shower time or invest in low-flow faucets and shower fixtures

Purchase a basket for your bike so you can run errands without burning fossil fuels

The holiday season is the perfect time to give thanks for the clients and colleagues that make your company a success. The rich tradition of sending end-of-the-year cards and gifts is a wonderful way to reinforce the value of those relationships.

Unfortunately, however, the waste created by the holiday giving season can also leave a lasting negative impact on the environment. This year, consider an eco-friendly option that showcases your appreciation of the planet, in addition to celebrating the important people in your life.

As an initial step, make a conscious decision to avoid purchasing anything that will quickly end up in a landfill. There are a wide variety of recyclable and recycled-content cards and products available from traditional retailers and local boutiques alike. Or opt for consumable gifts, in the form of organic or fair-trade food or beverages, which are always a crowd-pleaser. You can also forego a gift in favor of donating to a charitable or environmental cause – like a reforestation effort or community garden. Just be sure to communicate that decision to your contact list in an effective way, like sending an e-card with a link to a video explaining the program.

Exercise your creativity to make this year’s holiday greeting memorable, fun and green!

Paydirt is thrilled to announce the launch of EcoHive – an internal, sustainability-focused web portal that inspires education, collaboration, action and, most of all, real business results.

The portal was developed in response to several sustainability trends that we’ve been tracking with our clients and in the broader marketplace. We’ve seen many organizations struggle with how to educate and engage employees in sustainability, outside of the members of the core “Green Team.” We also know that more and more companies are interested in moving past one-way corporate communications to leverage the creativity and ideas of their employees as part of the sustainability planning process. However, many lack the technology or communications platforms to facilitate a meaningful and authentic dialogue.

The Portal

EcoHive is our educational, collaborative solution to those real-world challenges. Based on an organization’s sustainability goals, EcoHive’s enterprise-facing Web portal not only informs employees, it engages them in that organization’s sustainability vision and strategies, inspiring them to learn, act and innovate.

The Content

The portal’s eco-educational content guides employees on a journey to discover how environmental sustainability can save money, improve efficiency, drive innovation and identify new opportunities at their company. Each awareness-building and action-inspiring module includes quiz questions and exercises to test the employee’s proficiency in the concepts presented.

The Network

EcoHive is designed to inspire conversation and collaboration among co-workers. From an idea board, to an internal blog, to an eco-friends page, EcoHive is socially sound with fun ways for employees to connect, share and commit to new habits.

The Partnership

Paydirt has partnered with frank, a talented team of interactive marketing, authentic branding and organizational effectiveness experts, to bring organizations this powerful social media platform. For more on frank, visit www.areyoufrank.com

It’s hard to believe, but the long days of summer are already getting shorter, and before you know it, kids will be zipping up their backpacks and lining up outside to wait for the school bus. Back-to-school shopping is a celebrated tradition for students and parents alike. But with more families trying to reduce their environmental footprint, many eco-savvy shoppers are starting to seek out lower-impact options. Here are few easy tips to “green up” your back-to-school experience this year:

Paper products. The bad news is that 1 billion trees worth of paper is thrown away every year. The good news is that there are a variety of high-quality recycled-content paper and notebook options to choose from. Mainstream brands like Mead offer stylish options, or check out an emerging paper company like “Ecojot,” which makes notebooks from 100% postconsumer waste and vegetable-based dyes. Or go the extra mile by opting for paperless with an energy-efficient, EPEAT-certified laptop.

Writing utensils. Did you know that six billion pens are thrown away in the U.S. every year? Break the cycle by opting for recycled-content options, like Paper Mate’s EarthWrite pencils, which are made from newspaper and cardboard, or biodegradable pens made from cornstarch or recycled paper.

Books. Seek out used books whenever possible, especially for college students, where books can be a significant expense.

Other supplies. First, before you head to the store, don’t forget to check your junk drawer – it’s easy to collect multiple pairs of scissors and staplers over the years! When you do need new supplies, look for options with recycled content. Or get creative and start a materials reuse program to hand down supplies when kids leave elementary school.

Clothing. Show your kids that vintage t-shirts are more fun when they’re actually vintage. Secondhand clothing retailers like Plato’s Closet have been growing in popularity in recent years, and it’s easy to see why (you can buy more with less!)

Looking for a fun and unexpected way to spice up the next summer gathering with your employees, customers or volunteers? Sick of the same old idle icebreakers and tacky teambuilding techniques?

This time, try adding an eco-themed challenge as a means to strengthen team relationships and enhance the overall event experience! Put environmental policies and promises to work by pitching in for a river, park or wildlife restoration program. Or leverage the power of competition by hosting a geocache or scavenger hunt highlighting natural resources and conservation strategies.

The following is an excerpt from my recent article for B2B Marketing Online.

Even in the midst of significant global momentum, most businesses aren’t capable of being transparent because they simply don’t have the necessary data. Many companies don’t have the internal systems and controls in place to establish a reliable performance benchmark, while others are challenged by decentralised operations.

Due to its role as both the creative nucleus and public face of the company, marketing departments can play an integral role in building internal and external momentum for sustainability programmes.

The first step to implementing an effective environmental programme is to educate and engage internal audiences. Marketing professionals can help to build a case for sustainability and empower other employees to actively participate in decreasing the company’s overall environmental footprint.

In addition to playing a key role in educating internal audiences about the value and requirements of a sustainable workplace, marketers can also help to capitalise on those programmes with external stakeholders.

A distinctive corporate sustainability programme can be a powerful market differentiator and hook for strengthening and expanding relationships with existing customers. Sustainability is also a potent tool for reaching out to environmentally savvy prospects, so marketers should work in close collaboration with research and development divisions in their companies to ensure that sustainability is factored into the design of new product and services.

More than 60 million households will fire up the grill every holiday weekend this summer. A little advance planning can turn those typically wasteful events into a stress-free and sustainable fete. Here are some easy steps for “greening up” your grilling this year!

The Green Grill
The particulate matter from burning charcoal briquettes contains carbon monoxide and other harmful VOCs, so use a propane, gas or electric grill where possible. If you do use coal, choose all-natural lump varieties, which eliminate the additives contained in briquettes.

Ditch those Disposables
Opt instead for reusable plates, cups, and traditional cutlery. If you must use disposables, look for options made from bamboo, sugar cane or other renewable materials. Then, when your event is over, reuse, recycle or compost as much waste as possible.

Seasonal=Sustainable
BBQ season is the best time of year to find locally grown fruits and vegetables. Feature fresh produce on the menu – drawing from your backyard garden, CSA share or local farmers market!

Opt for Organic
Where possible, choose bulk sizes of organic drinks, or whip up your own fresh iced tea or lemonade. Organic beers and wines are also readily available in most traditional liquor stores. (Seek party planning inspiration from Organic Shaken and Stirred: Hip Highballs, Modern Martinis, And Other Totally Green Cocktails, by Paul Abercrombie.)

It’s all about the Meat
For many, vegetarian barbecues are simply not a realistic option, so visit sustainable meat retailers in your area to purchase delicious organic and grass-fed options. Because it tends to be leaner than traditional meat, marinate the meat before and during the grilling process to keep it juicy and tender.

Dish up some Dessert
Try reheating baked goods in a closed grill after the heat is turned off. By the time you are ready for dessert, that rhubarb pie will be at the perfect temperature for a dollop of whipped cream!

“Carbon neutrality” is a phrase that many people have heard, but few really understand. Essentially, going “carbon neutral” means achieving net zero carbon emissions, or balancing the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset.

To further complicate matters, carbon offsetting can mean a couple different things: (1) using renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels for power; or (2) purchasing carbon offset credits. Offset credits can fund a variety of activities, like large-scale tree planting efforts or innovative carbon reduction projects, such as installing anaerobic digesters on farms to capture methane (a global warming gas estimated to be 21 times more powerful than carbon dioxide).

The best practice for individuals or organizations seeking to achieve carbon neutrality is to reduce the amount of carbon emissions released in the first place. However, purchasing carbon offset credits is also an easy way to invest in a healthier planet. To learn more about how to calculate and offset your personal or professional carbon footprint, visit www.terrapass.com or www.greenmountainenergy.com/carbon_offsets.shtml.